Interesting: the address for Congregation Shema Yisrael is also the address for Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church. And the Google Maps street view for that address shows a building that’s clearly a church, with very standard church architecture. Doesn’t look like any synagogue I’ve ever seen.
The Messianic Jewish movement was born in the Baptist church. It started as a way of reaching out to Jewish college students away from home possibly for the first time and old people who felt neglected. The movement welcomed them into Christianity with symbols and trappings that were familiar to them. And friendship and caring, too-- as someone said, Christians sincerely believe they have something wonderful that they must share. I took a workshop on the Messianic phenomenon years ago.
Can someone fight mine ignorance on what it means to be a rabbi?
For comparison, the only qualification to be a Christian minister is to be hired by a Christian church, which is simply an organized group of self-proclaimed Christians. Of course, some Christians require more qualifications, but that doesn’t contradict that some don’t.
Ordination in a mainstream Yeshiva or Rabbinical School requires seven or eight years of education past high school: the first four in undergraduate studies leading to a Bachelor of Talmudic Law and then three or four years of seminary or rabbinical school
Thanks for the answers. This rapidly becomes a chicken-and-egg problem, but what qualifies as a rabbinical seminary? Eventually, what do you call a person a group of Jewish people hire to teach them the Torah, even if they have no official “ordination”?
I’m not complaining about calling out fake rabbis, but I want to better grasp what the lexical boundaries are.
I’ll note that one of the churches I go to (not to attend services, but a non-profit meets there), shares the space with a synagogue. The cross is covered over when used as such. I imagine this is common in high-rent areas where small religious groups can’t afford their own space.
It sounds like you’re working towards saying a Baptist college is equally qualified to educate and certify a rabbi as a Yeshiva. Please tell me you’re not going there.
His compatriot at his church, “Rabbi” Glen, does not fare much better when it comes to rabbinical studies: He’s got a Master of Divinity degree from Moody Bible Institute.
I’m only familiar with Christianity. While some groups of Christians have rigorous standards to be ordained, there are self-proclaimed “Bible” churches that are just some hick who’s gathered a few families to listen to his weekly rants. It rankles me, but that man can call himself a “minister”. But they have no standing in any denomination.